Shingles and Me
Shingles is something I live with daily
Chosen for me by whom?
I have no idea.
I doubt it is my choice, as it is painful.
My skin is tender; shingles is red, raw, sore, and rough.
This disease is something I try to forget about every day.
I can push it back into the farthest corners of my brain.
If I am deeply engaged in painting, cartooning, or writing.
But then BAM it comes back in full force, unbidden, unwelcome.
This malady is something I have lived with for over two years.
My doctor has told me it might be until the end of my life.
I remember staring at a bottle of morphine and codeine one time.
The doctor had warned me if I took them both, I would die.
I was in enough pain at that moment to almost do it.
I have no idea why I didn’t.
I threw the morphine pills away,
so I cannot ever be tempted with that again.
In case the pain gets worse.
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